Resolving the Identity and Natural Occurrence of the Enigmatic Balayong (Cassia L., Fabaceae) of Palawan, Philippines
E. Agoo, D. Madulid, J. Domingo (30-51)
Abstract
Cassia is a genus of leguminous trees that bear attractive colorful flowers with tropical distribution. The pink-to-white-flowered trees are commonly cultivated and are considered as exotic to the Philippines. Balayong is a local botanical name that broadly refers to Cassia trees in Palawan and became the flagship species of Puerto Princesa City, the capital of Palawan, because of its floral blooms and the trees symbolize feisty femininity and beauty. It is annually celebrated as a festival, namely, the Balayong Festival. However, several scientific names for balayong have been claimed as the correct name as well as their unending presumptions of origin. This study aimed to resolve the identity and botanical indigeneity of the balayong (Cassia) of Palawan. A review of the literature, examination of actual and digital images of herbarium specimens, fieldwork, and analysis of nomenclature were conducted. Three taxa of the pink-to-white-flowered Cassia, namely, Cassia grandis, C. javanica subsp. javanica, and C. javanica subsp. nodosa, and the yellow-flowered C. fistula are recognized to occur in Palawan. Among these, C. javanica subsp. javanica is indigenous to the Philippines, with historical records of collections from Palawan. A key to the identification of the species, literature citations, brief description, and taxonomic notes are presented to delineate the different kinds of Cassia in Palawan.